Labour MP for the Llanelli constituency

Tackling anti-social behaviour

County Councillor Louvain Roberts is calling for positive action and a sensitive lettings policy to help maintain strong communities in the Seaside area of Llanelli. Speaking at a public meeting last Friday the Labour councillor, who represents the Glanymor ward on Carmarthenshire County Council, praised the work of local groups and forums working to improve the Station Road area.

Cllr Roberts highlighted the Glanymor and Tyisha Safer Communities Action Group and their involvement in raising awareness of the problems created by anti-social tenants in the Station Road area. She said that she would like to see the Glanymor area on the other side of the station gates benefit from similar action to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“We have always had a strong community spirit in this area, and in the council’s policy for allocating council housing, we want to see a genuine mix of people – young families and older people – and not just a concentration of any one particular type of tenant. We’ve also experienced problems from some tenants in private rented properties, leaving rubbish around and causing intolerable noise and disturbance to their neighbours. This about taking positive steps to tackle these problems and improve our community. ”

Nia Griffith MP who is working with Cllr Roberts on the issues said,

“I am determined to make sure we use all possible means to deal with anti-social tenants who make their neighbours’ lives a misery. I welcome Carmarthenshire County Council’s commitment to extending the landlord registration scheme currently only applicable to larger properties to all rented properties. Cllr Louvain Roberts and I will be arranging a meeting with housing officers to find out more about how this will work, and what further action can be taken against tenants and landlords who show no respect for the community.”

Keith Davies AM who also attended the meeting spoke warmly of the action being suggested:

“I welcome the action being taken by Cllr Louvain Roberts on this issue that can have such a negative and destructive impact on the quality of life for local residents. The experience of the scheme in Station Road has been a positive one and from reports by local police representatives on the Station Road Forum which I share, such incidents have reduced. We are proud of having strong communities in the different parts of Llanelli town. Learning from experience, we should never allow a small minority to cause problems and in turn have such a big impact.”